15 Jul, 2010

Damascus - "Skeyes"

The third military investigating judge, interrogated in Damascus, on Sunday 11/6/2010 the Syrian opposition activist Ali al-Abdullah of charges moved against him by the Military Public Prosecutor of "spreading false news which would affect the morale of the nation", according to the article / 286 / and "disturbing the State links with a foreign country "according to article / 278 / of the Syrian Penal Code.
Abdullah said during interrogation, that what he has done is not a punishable crime, and that he expressed his opinion openly, emphasizing the right to participate in public life.

Abdullah described the Lebanese parliamentary elections as "democratic wedding," and called on Syrians to "study this experience in order to raise the proportion of awareness of democracy in Syria" in his statements to the agency "Aky" the Italian News Agency.

It was also considered in another statement on the Iranian elections, that the "Iranian street protests came in popular response to manipulate elections," and accused the Iranian regime "of rigging the political option for the Iranians," and that these events "had rendered the Iranian regime's credibility and overthrew his claims."

A lawyer and human rights activists from Damascus said for "Skeyes" that" it had already been transferred Al-Abdullah to the Political Security branch to be filed again in Damascus Central Prison in Adra." He added "The proceedings in the military judiciary in Damascus, moved against al-Abdullah in accordance to Article 286 of the Penal Code" of misdemeanor of spreading false news which would affect the morale of the nation, "Article 278" a misdemeanor for taking actions or writings or speeches which are not sanctioned by the government that exposes Syria to the danger of hostile or harm its relations with a foreign country or view the Syrians to reprisals against them or their property, "and on the backdrop of statements that were made by Abdullah from inside the prison."

It was supposed that Al-Abdullah to be released on 17/6/2010, after he had finished his sentence of two years and a half, where he was sentenced to prison with a group of leaders of "Damascus Declaration" the opposition one, but an arrest warrant was issued against him, and put him in prison again because of it.

Ali al-Abdullah is a writer and journalist from Deir ez-Zor, a former detainee for several times for his activities in public affairs, he was elected a member of the Secretariat General of the "Damascus Declaration". He was arrested on 17/12/2007 and was sentenced to two and a half years of crime of "weakening national sentiment and the transfer of false news", on his background of being a member of the coalition of the Damascus Declaration.